March 7, 2007

The Third District Court of Appeals, on February 21, 2007, rendered a decision regarding the $15 fee charged by the Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles for the issuance of a Disabled Parking Permit. Subsequent to the filing of the lawsuit involving this decision, the Florida legislature amended Florida law and eliminated the $15 fee and substituted an administrative processing fee of $1.50 to cover the cost of issuing the Disable Parking Permit by Florida Tax Collectors. The $1.50 administrative processing fee statute is mandatory on Florida Tax Collectors and must, therefore, be collected.

The Court of Appeals in its decision on February 21, 2007, affirmatively stated that it expressed "no opinion" relative to the amendment in the law eliminating the $15 fee and substituting the $1.50 administrative processing fee.

"Therefore, until such time as the Florida legislature and the Florida Department of Revenue elect to eliminate the $1.50 administrative processing fee, my office has no alternative other than to collect the nominal charge in accordance with Florida law." said Anne Gannon, Palm Beach County Tax Collector.

Contact: Office of Public Affairs, (561) 355-3934